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Meme marketing adapts familiar internet formats or cultural moments to communicate something about a brand, product, service, or audience. It works best when the reference is relevant, the joke fits the brand’s voice, and the post makes sense even to someone who missed the original meme. Here are eight reported examples and a practical way to plan meme content without forcing a trend or overlooking rights.
What meme marketing is—and what it is not
Campaigning Swiss defines meme marketing as “the use of memes to promote your brand narrative.” In practice, a brand may adapt a familiar image, GIF, video, text format, or cultural moment to make a point about its offering or audience. The meme is a creative format, not a marketing goal by itself.
A useful test: if someone does not recognize the original meme, can they still understand what the brand is saying? If not, the reference may be doing too much work. A popular template alone does not make a post relevant to a particular audience or brand.
Eight reported examples of meme marketing
These examples show different creative approaches. They are not a ranking, and the cited descriptions do not establish comparable engagement, sales, reach, or return-on-investment results.
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1. Gucci: #TFWGucci
Marketing Dive reported that Gucci commissioned artists in 2017 to create memes featuring its wristwatches. The campaign promoted a new watch line while using meme-style creative to present the luxury brand in a more accessible way.
2. Twitter: a playful Instagram rivalry
Marketing Dive cited Twitter’s use of a catalog of Instagram posts that were simply screenshots of tweets. The joke drew on the platforms’ rivalry rather than relying on a generic meme template.
3. Saatva: “sparks joy” and sleep
Marketing Dive reported that mattress brand Saatva used the line “What if the only thing that ‘sparks joy’ is more sleep?” around public attention to Marie Kondo’s book and Netflix series. The example shows how a timely reference can be connected to a product benefit.
Rank #2
4. Netflix: scenes from its own shows
Wyzowl describes Netflix using scenes from its programming—including a shot from You—as material for memes aimed at its social audience. Using material from a brand’s own programming can make the reference closely connected to its content, although rights and usage terms still need checking.
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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors5. Diamond Express Travels: the job-interview template
Wyzowl describes the travel agency adapting a “job interview” meme template in a travel context. The format gives the brand a recognizable setup while letting it turn the punchline toward travel.
6. Domino’s UK: garlic dip and the Drake album-cover trend
Wyzowl reports that Domino’s UK adapted the meme based on the cover art for Drake’s Certified Lover Boy album, adding its garlic dip. This is an example of connecting a product to a widely recognizable visual reference; it also illustrates why brands should check rights before reusing third-party imagery.
Rank #3
7. Simple Skincare: the front-facing-camera dog
Wyzowl describes Simple Skincare adapting a dog meme format to build anticipation around product deliveries. The brand connected the familiar format to a specific customer-facing moment rather than using it without a product tie-in.
8. Knowsley Safari Park: meerkats at Halloween
Wyzowl cites Knowsley Safari Park’s use of its own meerkats in a Halloween meme. Seasonal timing and the organization’s own imagery gave the post a direct connection to the park.
How to plan a meme campaign
1. Set the goal before choosing the meme
Decide what the post should do: for example, explain a product benefit, join a relevant conversation, or make an existing audience feel recognized. Marketing Dive quoted 9Gag executive Russell Schneider recommending that marketers begin with clear goals before deciding how memes might support them. A format is not a substitute for a reason to communicate.
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2. Check audience and brand-voice fit
Ask whether the intended audience will understand the reference and whether the joke sounds like the brand. Marketing Dive quoted Tinuiti’s director of paid social, Katy Lucey, warning that a meme should reflect an authentic brand voice and may rub customers the wrong way. A brand does not need to use every trend that is popular.
3. Make the brand connection clear
Connect the joke to a product, service, audience insight, or brand point of view. If the only connection is that the format is trending, the post may feel overly commercial or unrelated. Keep the core meaning legible without requiring extensive knowledge of the meme’s backstory.
4. Check timing and frequency
Social conversations can shift quickly; Marketing Dive notes that a trend may change in hours or days. Check that the reference is still current when the post will go live. Avoid overusing meme posts, and remember that the format will not suit every category or audience.
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5. Review the creative before publishing
- Can the audience understand the point?
- Does the joke fit the brand’s voice and avoid needlessly alienating customers?
- Is the reference still timely?
- Does the content rely on material the brand has permission to use?
- If there is a paid partnership or endorsement, is the relationship disclosed clearly?
What counts as commercial use of a meme?
Using an existing meme to promote a business can raise rights questions, especially when it includes a film clip, photograph, character, artwork, or other third-party intellectual property. Marketing Dive discusses these concerns; it does not establish that every meme use is unlawful or that fair use automatically covers brand marketing. Giving credit is not a universal replacement for permission.
Commercial use can include both organic brand posts and paid or boosted distribution. MemeLicensing’s FAQ describes permissions that can vary by brand, territory, platform, and whether a use is organic or paid. Those are that provider’s licensing terms, not a universal industry standard. Before publishing, identify the material’s rights holder and check that the permission or license covers the specific content, account, platforms, locations, and distribution method you intend to use. When the rights are unclear, create original imagery or use content with a license that expressly covers the intended use.
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How should a brand disclose a sponsored meme?
If a post includes an endorsement relationship, make the disclosure easy to notice and understand. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission says people should receive the information they need to evaluate sponsored statements, regardless of advertising medium or platform. Its guidance warns that a disclosure in comments is easily avoidable and that placing one at the end of a long post makes it more likely to be missed. This is U.S. guidance; brands and creators should also check the rules that apply in their own jurisdictions and to their specific relationship.
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